Cold Summers
by AilovU
Summary: Nel Zelpher, like many, have secrets they don't want those around them to know. But, when she deems it time for the gang to know them, will they still accept her? And a certain crimsoneyed swordsman seems to be falling for this redhaired beauty. ALNEL!


Nel Zelpher strolled calmly down the streets of Airyglyph, shopping for the essentials she would needs on her trip back to her home in Aquaria. Her violet eyes glittered and her face betrayed no emotion, the picture of an ideal assassin.

As she walk passed a darkened alleyway, she thought she heard a whimper. Thinking of danger, she drew a dagger and held it in front of her protectively. "Who's there?" she demanded of the darkness. As she walked closer, she could start to make out the form of a little boy of about nine or ten. He was badly beaten and bruised with cuts and gashes about his small body. "Please…" he whimpered, "Don't h-hurt me!" Nel felt a pang of pity and put away her dagger, extending her hand to him, kindness shining on her face. "Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you!" He stared at her hand as if it was an alien object before taking it. Her smile only grew as he did, and she put down her groceries and pulled him closer so she could get a better look at him in the gloomy town.

The boy had light brown hair, she could tell, but it was turned darker by the dirt and grime that came with living on the streets for a long period of time. His cerulean blue eyes were weary of what she was going to do to him, and wide with fright and amazement. All he wore was a torn, ratty black shirt and a pair of pants far to big for him, held up only by a worn leather belt.

"What's your name?" she asked politely, starting to activate a healing spell. "…Leon…" he said cautiously. His eyes widened in fear at the spell's activation and started to struggle, but she held him tight. "Okay, Leon. Here's the deal. I'll heal you and then let you go about your business, okay?" The healing spell, now in it's final stage, whirred silently as it healed the boy, making all major and minor cuts disappear. "No!" yelped Leon. "What?" "I said no, lady! I don't need your charity or pity!" She glared at him. He wasn't going to go willingly. He was just as proud as Albel. She sighed and ran her fingers through her bobbed crimson hair. "Fine. I need a personal assistant, boy. In exchange, you get free food, clothes, and housing. How's that?" Leon mulled it over silently for a minute before nodding, apparently satisfied. "Who're you, lady?" She smiled and picked up her groceries. "I'm Nel Zelpher, agent of Aquaria." His eyes widened. "Really? Does that mean you know Albel the Wicked?!" She sighed. He was a boy, after all. It was only natural that he looks up to him and not her. "Yes. Unfortunately." She sighed again. His eyes widened even more. "Is it true you're stronger than him?!" Before Nel could answer, a masculine voice from the shadows interrupted. "Let us test that theory, hm?" Nel shoved her groceries into Leon's arms and wordlessly drew her daggers just in time to parry an attack. "Albel Nox." She spat, hating the way his name felt on her tongue. "Zelpher. Street rat." He acknowledged with a deadly smirk. "Is this boy your secret child, thrown on the streets because of your insecurities? I honestly didn't know any men were interested in you…unless you worked in the brothels." He knew the boy wasn't her son. He was just, as usual, trying to get a rise out of her. He then just barely dodged a green lightning bolt sent his way by the angry runologist. "Tsk, tsk. Temper, temper!" "You know damn well that I don't work in any brothel, you jerk!"

Then he was behind her, pressing his hard body against hers. His human arm held her waist against him, and his claw cradled her face from behind. "Such a pity," he whispered. "You would sell quite well..." She jerked her head away from his grasp, cutting herself slightly in the process on his claw. "Get away from me!" She yelped, her face red. He grinned and ignored her request, licking her blood off of his claw. Leon gaped and finally found his voice. "_You're_ _Albel the Wicked?!_" Which, of course drew a small crowd. "Tch," he growled, detaching himself from Nel. "We'll finish this later. Zelpher, your Queen wants you. If you wish, you may bring the worm with you." He said, sauntering away, sheathing his sword as he went. "His name is Leon, and you had better damn well learn some manners, Nox!"

"It isn't proper for a Lady to speak such…profanities." He said before he left. He always did have to have the final word. She glared in to direction he had left and groaned. "I hate that man…" Leon handed her back her groceries, which she took after sheathing her own weapons for the second time that day. "Do you always get so flustered around him, Lady Nel?" questioned Leon innocently. She turned around to look at him in surprise, almost dropping her bag as she did. "N-n-n-no! I do _not_ get flustered! He's just…himself! He annoys me so much, I want to scream sometimes! And he is so disrespectful, even towards his King!" Leon shook his head and started walking. "Don't get so worked up over a simple question, Lady Nel. Now, are you going to see her Highness or not?" he sighed, taking to the assistant role quite easily.

"Yeah, I guess. Let's get going. First thing we do when we get to the castle is cloth, feed, and put you to bed. Then I'll go visit her Majesty." He nodded, deciding not to whine to come with her.

When they arrived at the castle, she did what she had promised, getting the boy all cleaned up and fed. She ran into Clair as she carried the sleeping boy back to her room and whispered, "Don't say anything; he's sleeping." Clair just looked at her questioningly. The moment Nel came out of the room and the door closed, Clair started her scolding. "Nel Zelpher! You can't just adopt a kid off the streets! You can't save everyone in the world!" Nel just huffed and crossed her arms defiantly. "I have before and I can do it again! I am perfectly capable of taking care of him!" Fate decided at that moment to make her run into the pillar in front of the conference hall. "That hurt!" she whined, holding her pained forehead, wincing at its tenderness as Clair shook her head in exasperation. "Zelpher, if you can't walk down a hallway without injuring yourself, how are you going to provide for a growing boy?" She looked up and saw Albel Nox standing before her with his usual smirk plastered on his face. Oh, how she would love to slap it off. "Shut up!" she growled, and walked past him into the conference hall, trying to retain what dignity she had left as she knelt before her Queen and her new King. "Nel, you may rise." She said, her voice filling the large hall, echoing off the walls. Nel nodded and stood, continuing to listen to her Majesty as she did so. "I have a mission for you. One of grave importance."

"What is the mission, Your Majesty?"

"A vacation." Nel blinked. "Huh?" "I order you to take a two-month vacation along with Albel, the Leingod boy and his friends. You will spend the first month here, trying to relax, and the second month shall be on their home planet. Apris knows you both need one." "But, your Majesty! I could never! My country needs me-" "And it can wait until you get back, Nel. You aren't abandoning your duties, either, as this is a direct order. It is growing closer to that time of year again, and we need you to be surrounded by your loved ones as to not depress you further. We do _not_ need a repeat of last year!" said the Queen firmly. Nel looked at her feet in shame, shuffling them nervously, her eyes shameful and sad.

Albel observed this calmly from his place leaning against the wall as her snacked on an apple, amused that this woman, who had spat insults at him this morning, had submitted so easily to a few words from her Queen. He wanted to know what had happened to make her like this, curious as he was. But he'd be damned if he ever asked her.

"Besides, Kairi needs you," continued the Queen, not noticing the look of panic on Nel's face, the confusion on Albel's, and the sadness on Clair's. "What would she do if you were to-" "A thousand pardons, Majesty, but there are people in this room whom I do not wish to know of that portion of my life just yet." The queen nodded sheepishly. "Yes. Forgive me, for I had forgotten." Nel smiled and said. "Don't worry about it." Romaria looked at her with wide eyes as a small smile crept across her face.

"Nel?"

"Yes?"

"You should smile more often. It suits you." Nel turned slightly red at this and looked away, nodding slightly. "Yes ma'am…"

"Tell me, has something good happened? You seemed in awful good spirits when you came in."

Nel turned red again, a now common occurrence. "Well, there's a child…"

"Since when are you with child?" asked the queen in excitement. "Who is the father? Albel, perhaps? A subordinate, noble? Yes, maybe Albel!" Said man choked on his snack food, sputtering and coughing at the idea that he and Zelpher had bed together. Nel's own reaction was her face turning so red, he thought she would faint from lack of blood to the rest of her body.

"N-n-NO!! I _found_ a child! His name is Leon…and he's sleeping in my quarters right now…" she yelled, getting softer as she went on. The Majesties smiled at the girl's kindness. The Queen sighed after a time. "Nel, you can't save everyone. You are too kind for your own good."

"I…I know," she whispered quietly. "I know. But, I've helped to save everyone before! But, Majesty, that was just the homes they have, if any at all! Some people are still dying out there! If we had used the money from the Thunder Cannon fund to help them, they wouldn't have to live on the streets, getting beat up for thieving the only food they'll get!" She bowed then, realizing that she had insinuated that her Majesty was no t fit to be Queen. "I apologize, Majesty…I spoke out of term." Romaria shook her head. "No. You are absolutely right. I understand. But I fear for you, Nel Zelpher, for one day you will meet and trust someone who appears one thing, and then another, and it will crush you. Last year is not to be repeated."

Nel bowed her head again, reminded once again of Kairi. But, that's a story for another time.

Well, I hope you like it! I try to do all sorts of pairings, but this one's should be an obvious AlNel. There'll be lotsa fluff in the next chapter, and it'll be much longer. You'll also get to find out something important about Nel's past. It was kinda hard to come up with, though. Well, hope you'll keep reading!

Lotsa Luvs,

Mischievous Kitsune


End file.
